I am a pets Stylist. I get to work with lovable, crazy, wild, scared, nervous, and some not so nice dogs ( I find the not so nice dogs a wonderful chalange) all day. I love it. I only have to deal with the owner for a short time. And boy! does my heart race.

I just recently quit a pretty good job dealing with public sales and marketing. I had to be not only social, but I had to initiate the social situations with people. I was good at it and was able to fake it for a few months but I was exhaused every day when I came home from work. I was absolutely mentally and physically exhausted. I took Medical Transcription classes so that I could do med. trans. from home and then I wouldn't have to mess with people at all...Perfect right?! Well, I can't seem to find a job without experience and can't get experience without a job. So, that didn't work out either.
Anyway, I'm sitting at home every day getting depressed and fat but I would love to work and be productive and happy at the same time. Is that possible for us with social anxiety? If ya'll (I'm from Alabama, sorry) find some good ideas please let me know.
I'm new to this group so anyone who wants please hit me up or send a friend request.
Jeff^~

Jeff, you have to at least give yourself credit for being involved in a job like that, even if it wasn't for a long period of time. I can definitely understand how tough it must have been. I am in the same boat though. I am not sure what to do for work and I have already began and stayed with a couple different careers only to quit after a few months because of my anxiety and fear. I am in an entry level social work field and hate it. But am struggling through every day. I feel like no matter what I do though, I am always going to have to deal with people somehow. I think I'd really like a job working with animals but besides being a groomer or a vet tech, there's not many realistic options... I wonder if there is anything out there for people like us. In any event, It's good to know I'm not alone.

I'm feeling like this righ tnow too, i'm currently off sick with depression and quite bad anxiety, and I feel I have a bit of social anxiety too, although i haven't been diagnosed yet,I find it hard to start conversations with people i don't know and i'll do anything to avoid it, i'll do anything to avoid talking on the phone to some people, although i have lots of friends whom i love dearly they don't know how i'm feeling, i have very low self esteem and I feel that i don't want to go back to work at all, I feel terrified at the thought of going back :-(

I suffer from SAD, though I've not been officially diagnosed (1st round of treatment coming up!). Of all things, I am a high school speech communications and debate coach. I've heard it said that we teach what we most need to learn. Well, that fits with me. I must say I am pretty good at it. But would I say it's fulfilling? Well, it hasn't been up til now because of my anxiety. I too come home exhausted - it's like being on stage all day - but I DO it, and it does help me, and I do benefit from it. I hope that with time, treatment (therapy/medication, etc.) I will come to find this career fulfilling OR I will discover that I want something else. Until then, my philosophy is that I am going to work on myself and keep at this until it either becomes as fulfilling as I hope it can be or I move on.

I think because everyones sa is different you can be any thing you want to be

I ended up cancelling two job interviews because I just could not go. But at least I applied and I managed to reschedule one for monday. It's definitely hard and at times I wonder if its worth applying at all if Im just going to not go, but trying is a great accomplishment I believe :) I love the idea of working with animals too!

i didnt realise i may have had sa for a very long time but i see the light now i must have.
Yeah Vicki you are so right everyones sa is different from the minute to the most crippling of episodes,Jeff i dont know how you feel but if its like me im by your side i have looked for jobs in work from home aspect with at present no joy. I believe you will get there, try this web site for some opportunity www.genuinejobs.com you may have some luck.
I need to say this to you jeff dont lock yourself away from people although its scary number one is such a lonely number and soon friends even family forget you even exist OPEN THE DOOR its ok

Thank you for having this support group...I have sad and i currently have a good job working in health care... working with seniors and i was off work for 4 months..for anxiety and depression. with cognitive behavioral therapy and meds I am doing great. before i was withdrawlen from friends and meeting new ones with starting a new job was not fun... fear of to many people in the lunchroom at work I could not make direct eye contact with people.what people wear affected me. theres more to the story .... all is good now .... thanks to cognitive behavorial therapy and celexa and risperdal

I found it helpful to be in a situation, which gets me my own space but makes me have some social interactions. IE working in cubical, in a big firm. :) hope that helps someone on the bored.

Thanks for letting me share-

Nikki

Hi! i have Social Anxiety and Depression. I'm in a very difficult Situation too. I have moved from Germany to California 3 years ago. That was a very big Step for me. I have to work soon. and i don't know how I shall deal with that. I am affraid to talk to Peoples ect.... The problem is I'm a florist and in that Job you have to talk with Peoples. It has always been very hard for me.Now i'm studying to get my GED. After that i want to study a new Carreer like Lab Technickan or so. I'm looking now for a Job where i dont have to deal with Peoples. But is that the Solution? Otherwise I would like to Work in my Job Florit because i love to Work with Flowers. Can anybody give me a Tip? I am Glad for any Help! From Sabine

A person might choose a career that enables them to be SAD/Creative;
Landscape/gardener,seamstress,novelist,poet,columnist.Book keeper,Carpentry,refurbisher of antique furnisher,etc. Self employed, privately owned business allows you to choose enviroment and the people you engage with, if any. Someone else can market your wares.

I would have loved to be a florist. The smell is like heaven itself i,m sure.
I too am a socail phobic. I Love people, but not the situations.
Couldn,t you try to stay with floristry but work behind the scenes. I,v noticed in the past not everyone seems to serve in the shop. I was in a florist the other day. It was the daughter that had people skills, The Mum was busy making a posy, obviously shy,but sweet; sooo in keeping with the flowers. No words, just loves pure delight..obviously not everyone needs to talk to be interpreted as gentle. Her contribution to the occasion was delightful.

I think we are like flowers. In the garden we can brave out any storm,take us inside where people lurk,then we feel the fragility of our rare and delicate beauty; As if, like petals we can be crushed,bruised and distroyed without a second glance at the damage done.
This is great, talking without opening a mouth,revealing without exposing. Thanks for this brief opertunity to not feel alone. I agree, how can anyone understand the innocence behind our inactions. I am a recluse,I have been for 14 years. In this solitude i find the peace that isn,t available in the world of people for me.

I too have social phobia and have this question about careers. Right now Im in college and the classes Im taking are online of course and they are about how to pick your major and career research. But for me its not like every one else. I can't just choose what Im good at or what Im interested in and no one really gets that who doesnt have it. I have to pick something around my social problems and that doesn't leave me much. I did all the career tests with my social phobia controlling my answers and it said I would only work well in agriculture jobs. I guess they are more of the introverted type jobs. So I guess if you work outside in those type of careers they are the best for working alone and away from people according to MBTI and the STRONG Career Assessment tests.